Housing Extended For Puerto Rican Hurricane Maria Evacuees
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MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) - A judge ordered the Trump administration to extend FEMA's transitional shelter program for Puerto Rican Hurricane Maria Evacuees through July 23rd.
Judge Timothy Hillman of Massachusetts' federal court granted the extension Tuesday
That means evacuees can remain in FEMA-support hotel accommodations until checkout on July 24th.
Shelter benefits were set to end this past Saturday
The ruling affects about 1,700 Puerto Ricans.
Judge Hillman says a restraining order temporarily blocking their evictions from the hotels will remain until at least midnight July 23, allowing them to stay until checkout time the following day.
Hillman's decision extends the restraining order put in place Saturday by Judge Leo Sorokin.
The program has paid for hotel stays for thousands of Puerto Ricans displaced by Hurricane Maria last September. The vouchers were supposed to expire last Sunday, meaning the evacuees could have been evicted from the hotels.
Hillman says he wants to look into the issue further and will decide whether another hearing is necessary.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)